Leashki: Nature and History

Leashki is an interesting destination if you’d like to explore historical connections and nature in the surrounding region. Historical records include a land grant in the village of Leoshki in 1620; in Bereza, buildings and memorial sites take center stage. The Sporovsky Reserve offers another perspective: its raised bog and the floodplain of the Yaselda.

Historical Traces and Remembrance

In 1620, Chancellor Lew Sapieha granted the church in the village of Leoshki four voloks of land, known as “Troyanovshchizna.” This land grant is an early historical connection for Leoshki. In Bereza, other traces lead to specific buildings and memorial sites.

The Red Barracks in Bereza were built in 1870. Today, they house rows of shops, an art gallery, and a café. This brings architectural history and present-day facilities together in one place. Individual businesses and access arrangements may change, so check the specific conditions before your visit.

The only spiritual and patriotic complex in Belarus was opened in 2009 on the grounds of the 19th-century Old Park. Together with the barracks, this site offers a different historical perspective: the complex’s opening is the focus here, while the Red Barracks are defined by their construction date of 1870 and their present-day facilities.

The “Zditovskaya Defense” memorial complex in Novoselki was built in 1975 at the site of fierce battles involving the “Sovetskaya Belorussia” partisan brigade. Also in Novoselki is the “Austrian Cemetery,” 1.5 km from Bereza. The two sites have different focuses: the complex commemorates the brigade’s battles, while the cemetery is another historical landmark, identified by its own location name.

Nature and Landscape in the Surrounding Area

The Sporovsky Reserve lies in the region around Leoshki. It was the first area in Belarus to receive international protection status as a Ramsar site and IBA (Important Bird Area). The biological reserve includes the largest contiguous area of raised bog in Polesie and lies in the floodplain of the Yaselda. Its protected status and landscape offer two distinct ways to explore the area’s natural features: its international designation and its character as a raised-bog and river-floodplain landscape.

A historical geographical description adds another feature to this landscape: the Bereza Terrace. It is clearly visible on the right bank of the Yaselda along the stretch from Selez to Bereza in Leoshki, where it reaches a width of 100 to 120 m. This description locates the terrace both within the river landscape and in a specifically named section.

As of January 15, 2025, an offer page lists an individual guided tour of the “V kraju vertlyavoy kamyshevki” eco-trail for up to three people. If this tour is important to your plans, check in advance whether and how it is currently being organized. This keeps the stated group size separate from the question of how the tour is actually conducted.

Road Access and Trip Planning

The local N-78 road runs from Bereza through Leoshki to Mormozhevo; there is also an access road to the village of Khomichi. The route through Leoshki should therefore be distinguished from the separately mentioned access road to Khomichi. This information provides a specific point of reference for planning your trip without prescribing a particular itinerary for visiting the historical sites or the reserve.

The sites mentioned differ in subject matter and historical period, so you can plan a visit around your interest in history, landscapes, or an individually guided eco-trail tour.

Discover more destinations: Hornava, Baranawitschy, Lyakhavichy, Ivanava, Antonava, Zanaviny, Kamyanyets, Ružany.

For the broader travel overview: Brest Region.